If you are gearing up for The Journey, then you are in luck. Microsoft has today announced that the demo for the Kinect powered latest installment of the critically acclaimed Fable franchise, The Journey, is set to hit the Xbox Live Marketplace on September 17th roughly a month ahead of the games scheduled release dates on October 9th in North America and the 12th in Europe.

Lionhead studios, the developer behind the Fable games, have polarised opinions recently after taking the series away from its role-playing routes with the release of Xbox Live Arcade game Fable Heroes, which was launched to decidedly mixed reviews for it’s childish take on the series. It could also be said that opinions are mixed as to whether ambitious Kinect project, The Journey, will be a success. Some say the series should remember where it came from and respect what got it to where it is now, whereas others suggest that it is time for a new chapter in the series.

Either way Lionhead Studios, and in particular Peter Molyneux, have never been afraid to stir the pot a bit. He caused commotion in March of this year after suggesting that people still playing Call of Duty in ten years time is ‘unthinkable’ along with being quoted as saying ‘If you don’t innovate, you die’. Also, alongside the announcement of Fable: The Journey, Molyneux suggested that he would never make another controller based game as it ‘just feels so old school’. Incidentally, he will be stepping down as both head of Lionhead Studios and creative head of Microsoft Studios Europe once The Journey gets released.

Regardless of your personal opinions on the new game, the series and the studio behind it, there is no doubt that interest in Fable: The Journey is high if for no other reason than people are genuinely curious as to how it will turn out. Check out the latest video released today, documenting the story, below.